[Demethress Davis]

Deme’s Supporting Characters

MY VISION: I am a EGOT writer who is very successful and revered by the industry for writing amazing stories that will live on in history.

What I learned from doing this assignment is that I have more supporting characters (maybe 3 ) which are minor contributors to the story. These characters are introduced in the middle of the story and do not appear until close to the end of the story. They all have the same purpose: to torture and kill Henry and the same value: to give Henry the courage to use his inner strength which he lost in the accident and bring Lillian’s Black heritage to light and terror reign to an end.

SUPPORT 1:

* Name: Jewel Stillwater
* Role: Neighbor and henchman to Lillian
* Main purpose: Jewel has to come out of her comfort zone to help Henry stop Lillian’s killing spree.
* Value: To give Henry the courage to accept his true identity, even at personal risk; to regain his self-worth and expose Lillian’s true heritage and end her terrifying hold on the town.

SUPPORT 2:

* Name: Sam
* Role: Neighbor and henchman of Lillian
* Main purpose: To alert Henry that he needed to get away from Lillian before it’s too late.
* Value: After Sam warns Henry, he ends up dead and Henry’s spider sense is unlocked and he begins to investigate who Lillian really is.

SUPPORT 3:

* Name: Paul
* Role: Henchman of Lillian
* Main purpose: To question Henry’s reason(s) for being in their town.
* Value: Paul’s interrogation of Henry brings intrigue and is the onset of Lillian’s mistrust of Henry.

• This reply was modified 8 months ago by  Demethress Davis.

[Demethress Davis]

Deme’s Character Profiles Part 2

MY VISION: I am a EGOT writer who is very successful and revered by the industry for writing amazing stories that will live on in history.

What I learned from doing this assignment is that it is still exciting to go through this process; despite it being challenging. I do like AI’s suggestions; they can be overwhelming at times, I find myself saying “eknee, meknee, myknee mo” and then just cut and pasting into a Note on my phone to look at later so as not to get stuck.

Protagonist:
* A. The High Concept: A Black man struggles with his guilt and loss, poses as White in a Southern town, only to face a deadly cat and mouse game with a White supremacist who unknowingly shares his hidden racial identity.
* B. This character’s journey: Henry goes from self-loathing and hiding to acceptance and bravery.
* C. The Actor Attractors for this character: Henry grapples with intense guilt, identity conflict, and fear of exposure, providing an actor with a wide emotional range; his journey offers an chase for profound character growth; themes of race, identity and systemic oppression makes Henry a deeply resonant and meaningful role that connects with both audience and critics.

* 7. Character Subtext: Henry’s hiding his true identity from a White supremacist.
* 8. Character Intrigue: Henry’s unspoken wound is guilt over the death of his wife and son in a coma.
* 9. Flaw: Henry is unwilling to face guilt over wife’s death. Undervalues themselves: Henry has low self-esteem after his wife’s death. Afraid of being identified as Black.
* 10. Values: Family and Being your best
* 11. Character Dilemma: Henry is helpful but guarded.

Antagonist:
* A. The High Concept: A powerful Southern matriarch who leads a White supremacist faction must protect her carefully constructed life while hiding the truth that she, too, is of Black heritage—a secret that threatens to destroy her and her empire.
* B. This character’s journey: Lillian, the “Good Samaritan” hides her role as a ruthless White supremacist leader, faces the ultimate irony of discovering her Black heritage . Her journery is a tragic, driven by self-loathing and the toxic power she wields, ending in her own undoing.
* C. The Actor Attractors for this character: Lillian’s duality as a ruthless antagonist hiding her own vulnerability (her Black heritage) creates a character who is both terrifying and tragically human; she is a powerful figure who manipulates others with charm and menace; a villain with hidden layers; and her emotional breakdown when she comes into the knowledge of her heritage will give an A-list actor a chance to deliver a raw, unforgettable performance.

* 7. Character Subtext: Lillian is being polite but under the surface she’s ruthless.
* 8. Character Intrigue: Lillian’s deception hides her identity as the leader of a White supremacist group. Lillian’s hidden agenda is to kill Henry.
* 9. Flaw: Over-confidence: in her belief that no one will be disloyal to her.
* 10. Values: Loyalty, Winning, Control-having the upper hand.
* 11. Character Dilemma: Winner vs Loser: Lillian wants to be victorious in all her ruthless dealings vs hates it when things don’t go as planned.

ChatGPT says:

Henry Carpenter (Protagonist)
1. Role in the Story:
* The protagonist, a deeply flawed yet relatable man. Henry struggles to escape his guilt and survive while hiding his true identity in a hostile environment. His journey is one of redemption, self-acceptance, and exposing the antagonist's dark secrets.
2. Age Range and Description:
* Late 30s to early 40s.
* A man of lean, wiry strength from his recent hardships. His once sharp and confident demeanor is dulled by guilt and grief, with sunken eyes and a slight limp from past injuries.
3. Core Traits:
* Resilient, resourceful, introspective, haunted.
4. Motivation (Want/Need):
* Want: To stay hidden, survive the town’s dangers, and redeem himself for his family’s tragedy.
* Need: To embrace his Black identity, confront his guilt, and rediscover his courage and self-worth.
5. Wound:
* The car accident that killed his wife and left his son in a coma, which he blames entirely on himself.
6. Likability, Relatability, Empathy:
* Viewers relate to his grief and self-blame and root for his redemption as he struggles to regain his dignity and identity.
7. Character Subtext:
* Henry hides his Black identity and his overwhelming guilt, presenting a stoic and guarded facade to those around him.
8. Character Intrigue:
* Henry’s hidden agenda is to expose Lillian's crimes without revealing his identity. His internal struggle adds tension as he balances survival with justice.
9. Flaw:
* His guilt and fear of exposure cause him to doubt himself and avoid taking decisive action, nearly costing him everything.
10. Values:
* Deep down, Henry values family, justice, and self-acceptance, though he struggles to act on them for much of the story.
11. Character Dilemma:
* He is torn between staying hidden to protect himself and risking exposure to do what’s right by confronting Lillian.

Lillian Whitehead (Antagonist)
1. Role in the Story:
* The antagonist, a cunning and charismatic leader of a White supremacist group. Lillian is both Henry’s nemesis and a twisted reflection of his struggles with identity.
2. Age Range and Description:
* Early 50s to late 50s.
* Regal and polished, with sharp features that radiate authority. She exudes charm and warmth publicly, concealing the cold, calculating cruelty beneath.
3. Core Traits:
* Charismatic, manipulative, self-loathing, ruthless.
4. Motivation (Want/Need):
* Want: To maintain control of the town and eradicate anyone who threatens her dominance or secrets.
* Need: To confront and accept her Black heritage rather than suppressing it through self-hatred and violence.
5. Wound:
* The deep shame and rejection she felt growing up as a light-skinned Black girl in a racist society. This internalized self-loathing drives her to overcompensate by aligning with the very system that oppressed her.
6. Likability, Relatability, Empathy:
* Lillian’s charm and complexity make her fascinating. While her cruelty repels, her psychological scars evoke a twisted form of empathy.
7. Character Subtext:
* Lillian hides her Black heritage while projecting an image of moral superiority and benevolence to maintain power over the town.
8. Character Intrigue:
* Her hidden agenda is to root out threats to her power, including Henry. Her internal conflict over her identity adds depth to her actions and motives.
9. Flaw:
* Her obsession with control and denial of her true self blind her to her vulnerabilities, ultimately leading to her downfall.
10. Values:
* Lillian values power, control, and loyalty from her followers, though these values are corrupted by her fear and self-loathing.
11. Character Dilemma:
* She is torn between her need to protect her secret and the growing awareness of her hypocrisy and internal conflict over her heritage.

• This reply was modified 8 months, 1 week ago by  Demethress Davis.
• This reply was modified 8 months, 1 week ago by  Demethress Davis.

[Demethress Davis]

Deme’s Character Profiles Part 1

MY VISION: I am a EGOT writer who is very successful and revered by the industry for writing amazing stories that will live on in history.

What I learned from doing this assignment is each character is that after I write my ideas down and go to AI it says pretty much the same thoughts however it adds somethings I feel will enhance the story even more. Give it more depth and create more intrigue.

Protagonist:
* A. The High Concept: A Black man struggles with his guilt and loss, poses as White in a Southern town, only to face a deadly cat and mouse game with a White supremacist who unknowingly shares his hidden racial identity.
* B. This character’s journey: Henry goes from self-loathing and hiding to acceptance and bravery.
* C. The Actor Attractors for this character: Henry grapples with intense guilt, identity conflict, and fear of exposure, providing an actor with a wide emotional range; his journey offers an chase for profound character growth; themes of race, identity and systemic oppression makes Henry a deeply resonant and meaningful role that connects with both audience and critics.

Brainstorm the first 6 parts of the profile for each of your lead characters.
1. Role in the Story: Protagonist
2. Age range and Description: 35-45 years old. Light-skinned Black man, has red undertone dirty blond hair and some light freckles on his face and body; he is toned but not overly muscular.
3. Core Traits: concealing, haunted, perceptive, guarded
4. Motivation; Want/Need:Want: To remain hidden and safe from the White supremacists/ Need: to stop Lillian’s killing spree and expose her as a Black woman to the White supremacist group she leads without exposing his true Black identity which he has been ashamed of betraying. He needs to gain back his identity which will empower him to defeat Lillian.
5. Wound: Haunted by guilt over his wife’s death and his son in a coma.
6. Likability: Henry receives a surprise promotion at his job and is given a party. He buys his son one of his favorite toys for his birthday and takes his wife and son out for a celebratory dinner. We see that Henry is revered at work, clearly he is liked and appreciated.
* Relatability: While driving to the restaurant, Henry gets into an accident. We have been in situations: hurt on the job; falling down the stairs, being hit by a car, falling off a bike or just stepping off the curb the wrong way and breaking your ankle.
* Empathy: Henry’s wife dies and his son is in a coma. We feel for Henry as we have family, friends or may know someone who has died tragically.
* Intrigue: Henry struggles with his past, fighting the guilt of causing his wife’s death. He hides inside the bottle and drugs to find false strength.

Antagonist:
* A. The High Concept: A powerful Southern matriarch who leads a White supremacist faction must protect her carefully constructed life while hiding the truth that she, too, is of Black heritage—a secret that threatens to destroy her and her empire.
* B. This character’s journey: Lillian, the “Good Samaritan” hides her role as a ruthless White supremacist leader, faces the ultimate irony of discovering her Black heritage . Her jourery is a tragic, driven by self-loathing and the toxic power she wields, ending in her own undoing.
* C. The Actor Attractors for this character: Lillian’s duality as a ruthless antagonist hiding her own vulnerability (her Black heritage) creates a character who is both terrifying and tragically human; she is a powerful figure who manipulates others with charm and menace; a villain with hidden layers; and her emotional breakdown when she comes into the knowledge of her heritage will give an A-list actor a chance to deliver a raw, unforgettable performance.

Brainstorm the first 6 parts of the profile for each of your lead characters.
1. Role in the Story: Antagonist
2. Age range and Description: 40-mid 60’s. She is entrenched in the town’s hierarchy, she is of stocky build; walks with a gate of determination; a smile that hides pointed teeth.
3. Core Traits: Charismatic, ruthless, calculated, psychologically fragile
4. Motivation; Want/Need: Want: Control and validation; Need: to confront her internalized self-hatred and the hypocrisy of her actions.
5. Wound: Never knew her mother- unable to bond. Grew up in a society that taught her to hate Blacks ( a part of herself; being a leader of the White supremacist group is an ultimate self denial. Self-loathing.
6. Likability: Lillian is known as “The Good Samaritan” in the town. She takes in lots of homeless, gives them jobs, lodging and food. She is liked by everyone.
* Relatability: Lillian feels the need to be in control of her life and what happens around her. She hates making mistakes.
* Empathy: Lillian’s mother died giving birth to her and she never has had that mother-daughter bond she sees others have.
* Intrigue: Lillian conceals her true ID of being the head of a White supremacist klan in the town and unbeknownst to her is her Black heritage. Her sole purpose is to kill as many Black people as possible, along with anyone who isn’t loyal.

• This reply was modified 8 months, 1 week ago by  Demethress Davis.

[Demethress Davis]

Deme’s Likability/Relatability/Empathy

MY VISION: I am a EGOT writer who is very successful and revered by the industry for writing amazing stories that will live on in history.

What I learned from doing this assignment is each time I do these lessons I see how my characters are beginning to take shape and I feel that by the end of this they will have so much depth, subtext and intrigue that everyone will be clamoring to play this role

PROTAGONIST:
* Likability: Henry receives a surprise promotion at his job and is given a party. He buys his son one of his favorite toys for his birthday and takes his wife and son out for a celebratory dinner. We see that Henry is revered at work, clearly he is liked and appreciated.
* Relatability: While driving to the restaurant, Henry gets into an accident. We have been in cosituations: hurt on the job; falling down the stairs, being hit by a car, falling off a bike or just stepping off the curb the wrong way and breaking your ankle.
* Empathy: Henry’s wife dies and his son is in a coma. We feel for Henry as we have family, friends or may know someone who has died tragically.
* Intrigue: Henry struggles with his past, fighting the guilt of causing his wife’s death. He hides inside the bottle and drugs to find false strength.

ANTAGONIST:
* Likability: Lillian is known as “The Good Samaritan” in the town. She takes in lots of homeless, gives them jobs, lodging and food. She is liked by everyone.
* Relatability: Lillian feels the need to be in control of her life and what happens around her. She hates making mistakes.
* Empathy: Lillian’s mother died giving birth to her and she never has had that mother-daughter bond she sees others have.
* Intrigue: Lillian conceals her true ID of being the head of a White supremacist klan in the town and unbeknownst to her is her Black heritage. Her sole purpose is to kill as many Black people as possible, along with anyone who isn’t loyal.

• This reply was modified 8 months, 2 weeks ago by  Demethress Davis.

[Demethress Davis]

Deme’s Character Intrigue

MY VISION: I am a EGOT writer who is very successful and revered by the industry for writing amazing stories that will live on in history.

What I learned from doing this assignment is those empowering exercises are amazing and truly inspire me to believe in myself and my ability to create meaningful, noteworthy, amazing, intriguing A-List grabbing actor characters! LOL!

Use 1 or 2 of the following:
* Character Name: Henry Carpenter
* Role: Protagonist
* Hidden agendas: To reveal the Black heritage of Lillian, the head of a White supremacist group.
* Competition: Competing against himself-fighting to overcome the guilt of causing his wife’s death. To stay alive- Lillian constantly threatens to kill him.
* Conspiracies: He enlists the help of others to stop the killings of those who go against the leader of the White supremacist who rules most of the town.
* Secrets: Henry poses as a White man to conceal his Blackness.
* Deception: Pretends to be loyal to Lillian in order to get close enough and discover who her true identity and then reveal it to all which will bring her to justice.
* Unspoken Wound: Henry has been rejected by his father who calls him “useless and unworthy of anything good.”
* Secret Identity: Henry is a Black man who has lost his self esteem and has fallen into depression; he allows his wounds to mold him into a fearful coward.

Give us an idea of how that character’s subtext might show up in your movie.

Competition:
When attending an AA meetings, Henry tries desperately to overcome his guilt of causing his wife’s death. He struggles to express his feelings without exposing his true feelings to the group which in turn only increases that guilt and shame he feels surrounding the accident. He doesn’t want them to know he caused her death. He is in denial and unforgiving himself.

Secret Identity:
When he has a heart to heart talk with Jewel about why he came to the town; he fights to keep his true identity a secret, not trusting that she is a person he can rely on to help him out of his funk and to assist him in digging deeper into who Lillian is and what she is up to in the town.
Lillian makes a “soul food” lunch and Henry says he not accustom to eating that kind of food.
One of Lillian’s henchmen calls Henry the “N” word and Henry struggles to hold his tongue and keep his voice monotones when he replies- luckily Lillian comes to his aide, admonishing them saying he is a White man just like them.
Henry must change his walk and his clothes to reflect that of a White man. He changes the tone of voice, how he comes his hair.

Unspoken. Wound:
Henry has nightmares of conversations with his father who constantly belittles and embarrasses him in front of family members. No matter how good a job he does, his father will not recognize the good in his son; only his insecurities.
Henry takes his anger wards his father lashes out on Jewel- insulting the way she walks- she limps. This is a way to take the focus off of him and onto someone else.

* Character Name: Lillian Whitehead
* Role: Antagonist
* Hidden agendas: To eliminate every one who goes against her, but mostly to kill as many Black people as she can.
* Competition: Lillian wants total control and power of her section of the KKK in her town and she will do anything to keep it.
* Conspiracies: Lillian enlists the help of her henchmen to spy on anyone who disobeys her and once she has them, she maims them – testing their loyalty and murders them for their disloyalty.
* Deception: Lillian poses as a “Good Samaritan, taking in homeless offering work for room and board; underneath she is the town’s Chief White supremacist who is more deadly than a rattlesnake.
* Unspoken Wound: She doesn’t know who her mother is; she was told she died giving birth to her. This makes her feel guilty. she was raised by her father, the head of the KKK in the town and a Black maid her father employed and she never had the bonding experience she saw others who had mothers enjoy.
* Secret Identity: Lillian is the head of the KKK in the small Alabama town she was raised in; she is the first woman, mentored by her father who ruled the town for 60+ years and when he died he passed his legacy over to her.

Give us an idea of how that character’s subtext might show up in your movie.

Unspoken Wound:
She treats Jewel like a daughter and chastises her whenever she disobeys her orders. She acts like a mother hen towards her henchmen who are loyal. She rewards them with money and “good times” in town; showering them with gifts she thinks her mother would have given to her, if she were alive.
While in town, when she sees young girls walking and talking with their mothers, she gets upset and fights back anger and tears; she wants that bond but will never have it.

Deception:
Lillian takes him Henry, a homeless man offering him room and board as long as he fixes things around the house; she spies on him to make sure he’s doing what she asks; she leaves the house late at night and always returns sweaty with dirt on her sneakers.
Lillian hosts a party for former lodgers who she helped get back on their feet and start new lives. Henry is at the party and notices that all of them are missing a body part: an eye, a finger, a leg, an arm.
Every time Henry strikes up a conversation about how the person lost the body part, Lillian is there to interrupt before he can learn the answer.

• This reply was modified 8 months, 3 weeks ago by  Demethress Davis.

[Demethress Davis]

Deme’s Subtext Characters

MY VISION: I am a EGOT writer who is very successful and revered by the industry for writing amazing stories that will live on in history.

What I learned from doing this assignment is my character are being flushed out and I see more ideas of how to make them even more appealing. Perfection be damned! LOL!

Example Movie Title: REBEL RIDGE
* Character Name: Terry Richmond
* Subtext Identity: A former marine who exudes calmness and respect.
* Subtext Trait: He conceals the fact he is a martial artist.
* Subtext Logline: Terry, a calm and respectful former marine, until he unleashes his Martial artistry on the corrupt police who stole money needed to bail his brother out of jail.
* Possible Areas of Subtext: When he is run down by cops and they steal his money; when he goes to the sheriff’s office to inform them that his money was stolen and the perpetrators enter the office; when he is promised the money back in time for him to get his brother out of jail before he will be killed by those he ratted on and it is too late; when he finds out his brother has been beaten, stabbed and dies.

Movie Title: THE DEVIL’S PUNCHBOWL
* Character Name: Henry Carpenter
* Subtext Identity: An out of work
* Black accountant whose wife is dead and son is in a coma
* Subtext Trait: Conceals his true identity and guilt of being the cause of his wife’s death.
* Subtext Logline: An out of work Black accountant masquerades as a White man and hides his inner guilt when he moves to a small Southern town in Alabama, and is taken in by a White Supremacist hiding behind a facade of being “The Good Samaritan.”
* Possible Areas of Subtext: When he moves to Alabama town, he changes his identity, voice and mannerisms; when he is discovers the true heritage of Lillian the Good Samaritan who he works for; when he discovers Lillian is a White supremacist; when he is kidnapped and tortured by Lillian’s henchmen; when he enlist the help of Jewel, a neighbor to help end Lillian’s reign of terror in the town.

* Character Name: Lillian Whitehead
* Subtext Identity: The town’s Good Samaritan who doesn’t know her true heritage.
* Subtext Trait: Lillian is a cruel, sadistic leader of the White Supremacist group in the town
* Subtext Logline: The town’s cruel, sadistic White supremacist leader hides behind the facade of being the “Good Samaritan” until she is confronted by Henry who not only discovers her role in town but also her true heritage.
* Possible Areas of Subtext: Lillian offers Henry, homeless and new in town a job and lodging; Lillian suspects Henry is not who he says he is and she begins investigating his background; Lillian entertains past lodgers in her home-Henry notices that all are missing a part of their body; Lillian cooks a soul food meal for Henry in an attempt to yak get him to reveal his true identity – she suspects he is a Black man; Lillian tasks Henry with fixing something in the attic, he falls through the floor and is maimed.

* Character Name: Jewel Stillwater
* Subtext Identity: A loyal neighbor who is like a daughter to Lillian.
* Subtext Trait: Jewel conceals her fear that Lillian will eliminate her if she goes against her in any way.
* Subtext Logline: Jewel, a loyal neighbor to Lillian, a White supremacist who runs the town, fears retaliation of the worst kind if she goes against Lillian in any way.
* Possible Areas of Subtext: Jewel spies on Henry without him knowing it; She reluctantly agrees to help Henry look into Lillian’s background; She takes care of Henry when he gets out of the hospital; She prepares a “special” meal for Henry that is laced with a knock-out drug; She rescues Henry, risks her life doing so.

• This reply was modified 8 months, 3 weeks ago by  Demethress Davis.

[Demethress Davis]

Deme’s Actor Attractors

Deme’s MY VISION: I am a EGOT writer who is very successful and revered by the industry for writing amazing stories that will live on in history.

What I learned from doing this assignment is picking my brain to find the most intriguing traits that will attract A-List actors gets better and better each time I work on my characters and it is more empowering to know that even though it may not always be easy it still brings me joy to know I CAN DO IT!

My Move: The Devil’s PunchBowl
Lead Character Name: Henry Carpenter (Protagonist)
1. KNOWN FOR ROLE: A man struggling with inner guilt; deeply complex as he is challenged with race identity and shame. On his journey he must confront this guilt and inner demons, deal with life-threatening pressure which offers an actor an opportunity to showcase his layers to give an unforgettable performance.
2. MOST INTERESTING CHARACTER: Henry deals with moral and psychological intrigue. He fights to remain hidden while dealing with hostile town members, some good some bad which creates high tension keeping the viewers engaged at every turn until the final reveal.
3. INTERESTING ACTIONS: Henry’s interactions with Lillian, each trying to hide the identity, Henry discovers Lillian’s birth certificate and other documents that reveal who she really is; Henry has confrontations with Lillian’s henchman. Henry’s decision to reveal Lillian’s heritage is high stakes that may lead to either life or death.
4. INTRODUCTION: Henry journey is introduced as a crushed and haunted man struggling with quilt of causing the death of his wife, son in a coma. after a big promotion. We see his vulnerability and eventually his strength as he is challenged with Lillian’s seemingly good nature and discovering her true nature.
5. EMOTIONAL RANGE: Henry moves in and out of guilt and despair to fear, determination and then resolution. We see him in a range of emotion:desperation, hope, anger and finally acceptance.
6. SUBTEXT: Henry’s inner conflict with his identity and low self -esteem are a constant as he interacts with the town; and especially with Lillian…slowly revealing his fear of being “discovered” and the shame of what he has done in his past.
7. INTERESTING RELATIONSHIPS: The relationship with the Lillian is the most intense and complex. The audience is taken on a journey of uneasiness, grudging gratitude, hatred and manipulations as Henry uncovers her secrets. His relationship with Jewel ties him to reality, a possible reminder of his lost innocence.
8. UNIQUE VOICE: Henry’s voice is wroth with grudging humility with an undertone of bitterness. He is calculated , pausing at times which show his struggle to stay hidden.
9. SPECIAL: Henry is both an insider and an outsider, passing as someone he is not in a town that welcomes and endangers him. In order to survive Henry must embrace his identity and outwit those who may see through his facade.

Lead Character Name: Lillian Whitehead (Antagonist)
1. KNOWN FOR ROLE: Lillian’s character is one of twisted moral complexity. She comes off as compassionate (The town’s “Good Samaritan”) yet she is a ruthless antagonist. She is clearly a power figure in the film. She manipulates everyone with calculated charm.
2. MOST INTERESTING CHARACTER: Lillian role as the town secret oppressor hiding under the guise of being the “Good Samaritan” coupled with her Black heritage makes her very appealing. Her ability to conceal her true heritage and be the head of a White supremacist fraction makes her a symbol of self-hatred turned towards others.
3. INTERESTING ACTIONS: Lillian enlists her followers to enact brutal “cleansing” of anyone in town who rejects her biddings,; she secretly searches Henry’s background and heritage; she maims him in order to make him obey her and sets out to kill him because of his repeated rejections.
4. INTRODUCTION: Introduced as “The Good Samaritan of the town; she takes Henry in with an air of mystery that subtly suggests control. The intro scene reveals her as being kind and seemingly conceals her cruelness, giving question to her true motives.
5. EMOTIONAL RANGE: Lillian’s emotions mutates between calculated calm, insincere empathy, anger and sadistic enjoyment of her control over others. Her emotional breakdown/ climax is when Henry confronts her with her true heritage.
6. SUBTEXT: Lillian is always trying to discover and eliminated any threats to her control: perceived or not. Her mannerisms show her hidden racial shame and her obsession with preserving her place in the hierarchy.
7. INTERESTING RELATIONSHIPS: Her relationship w/ Henry is most compelling, she see him as a threat and a twisted mirror of her own hidden Blackness. Her relationship with her loyal but terrified followers is telling as she manipulates them with both fear and charm.
8. UNIQUE VOICE: She speaks with a calming cadence, especially when delivering menacing lines. Her voice is a facade of warmth with an undertone of menace that keeps others on edge.
9. SPECIAL: Lillian is special because of her intense secrecy she holds over her own identity which showcases her psychological need to erase any trace of her true heritage. She is powerful and tragically divided; absorbing the extremes of self-denial.

Lead Character Name: Jewel Stillwater (Supporting Actor)

1. KNOWN FOR ROLE: Jewel is a morally ambiguous character- her survival instincts and quiet intelligence make her a potential ally and a wildcard- she has a backstory filled with past trauma and hidden depth. Any actor would find this appealing.
2. MOST INTERESTING CHARACTER: She moves between loyalty to Lillian and the town and her concealed disdain for its dark leanings. Her role as an uneasy confidant to Henry gives her unique insight into both the town’s secret and Henry’s hidden true identity.
3. INTERESTING ACTIONS: Jewel leads Henry to forbidden areas in town, unwillingly helps him uncover evidence and lastly makes a choice to betray or save Henry based on her moral compass.
4. INTRODUCTION: Jewel is set up as a shadowy and reluctant yet observant character. She is seen watching Henry from a distance, she knows more than she lets on. Her subtle defiance against the town’s norms makes her memorable.
5. EMOTIONAL RANGE: Jewel’s range goes from suspicion, cautious empathy, fear, defiance and finally courage. She has a slow emotional unmasking that makes her a deeply layered supporting character.
6. SUBTEXT: She is filled with it. She is cautiously gauging Henry’s intentions and her own potential risk. Her silence speaks volumes, conveying loyalty laced with/ inner conflict about her role in the town.
7. INTERESTING RELATIONSHIPS: Her relationship with/ Henry is compelling as it goes between mutual respect and mistrust. Her relationship w/ Lillian is equally tense, she knows her true nature and fears crossing her.
8. UNIQUE VOICE: Jewel speaks in short, leaving clipped sentences, leaving thoughts incomplete or hinted at. Her tone speaks to both wariness and hidden intelligence, making her words feel like a maze.
9. SPECIAL: Jewel operates on the edge, both morally and socially. She’s more than a simple accomplice or informant, she’s someone who has learned to survive by blending in while subtly undermining the structures around her.

• This reply was modified 8 months, 3 weeks ago by  Demethress Davis.

[Demethress Davis]

Deme’s Actor’s attractors for The Devil’s PunchBowl

MY VISION: I am a EGOT writer who is very successful and revered by the industry for writing amazing stories that will live on in history.

What I learned from doing this assignment is it helped me to brainstorm ways to elevate my character so that A List actors would be attached and want to take the role. Also, I fought trying to get it perfect. I know we have plenty of time to keep elevating our characters.

Example Move: The Silence of The Lambs
Lead Character Name: Jodie Foster

1. Why would an actor WANT to be known for this role? Young training student not yet FBI agent given an “interesting errand” to interview and pick the brain of a serial killer- Hannibal (“Cannibal”) Lecter.
2. What makes this character one of the most interesting characters in the movie? She is given an assignment of getting to know a serial killer who helps her find another serial killer.
3. What are the most interesting actions the Lead takes in the movie? Interviews serial killer; does autopsy report of a victim of Buffalo Bill; kills Buffalo Bill, another serial killer.
4. How is the character introduced that could sell it to an actor? Clarice is running on an obstacle course when pulled into the boss’s office and given an interesting errand of interviewing a serial killer no one has been able to get answers from.
5. What is the character’s emotional range? Young, innocent & naive to vulnerable and confident.
6. What subtext can the actor play? Fearful and vulnerable- wanting to prove she can do the job, overcoming her fears.
7. What’s the most interesting relationships this character has? A growing relationship w/ Hannibal Lecter, the serial killer.
8. How is the character’s unique voice presented? She is not afraid to question authority & speak up about what bothers her; what matters despite being the only woman in a room full of men. She shows vulnerability and strength when she’s with Hannibal, gaining his trust.
9. What makes this character special and unique?She must reveal her secrets to Hannibal- letting him into her head; the thing her boss warned her not to do. She goes into the house to question a man about a victim and discovers it’s Buffalo Bill – in the dark, she plays a cat & mouse game trying to locate him and free a captive before he kills them both.
10. (Fill in a scene that shows the character fulfilling much of the Actor Attractor model.) The scene when she sees Hannibal in the cage and he gets her to confide about living on the farm where they slaughtered lambs in particular one she loved and the scene where she searches for Buffalo Bill in the dark basement.

My Move: The Devil’s PunchBowl
Lead Character Name: Henry Carpenter

1. Why would an actor WANT to be known for this role? Black man hides his true heritage from a group of White supremacists while he battles with the guilt of causing the death of his wife.
2. What makes this character one of the most interesting characters in the movie? Despite his guilt and low self esteem, he is able to fool and manipulate everyone and expose the truth about the antagonist.
3. What are the most interesting actions the Lead takes in the movie? He changes his mannerisms and voice to sound more caucasian. He attends a Black Lives Matter protest. He enlists the help of a White supremacist to expose the head of the Klan in the town. He exposes the Black heritage of a White supremacist leader. When she tries to kill him; he is the victor.
4. How is the character introduced that could sell it to an actor? He wakes up from a dream of the accident that killed his wife and puts his son in a coma. Loses his job due to excessive drug use that causes him to miss assignments after a big promotion. Changes his appearance.
5. What is the character’s emotional range? From quilt-ridden, worthless, secretive to fearless, strong, defiant & unstoppable.
6. What subtext can the actor play? He changes his language to hide his Blackness. He doesn’t speak in his usual slang that would give away the fact that he is Black. His changes his gate to resemble the way a White man would walk.
7. What’s the most interesting relationships this character has? The relationship with the neighbor who is loyal to the antagonist but finds the courage to help the protagonist bring her down, risking her life. His relationship with the antagonist who, once she realizes her true identity, plots to kill the protagonist before he, who she knows is Black exposes her. She must discredit him.
8. How is the character’s unique voice presented? Through his ability to be a chameleon, he is able to discover who the antagonist really is and the power she has over some of the town’s people by pertaining to be a “Good Samaritan “.
9. What makes this character special and unique? His ability to change his appearance, voice intonations and gait to appear to someone he is not.
10. (Fill in a scene that shows the character fulfilling much of the Actor Attractor model.) The scene: the protagonist is tortured by the antagonist and their true selves are exposed, the neighbor interrupts just before the antagonist is about to deal the final blow; they escape, the protagonist tells the neighbor to get the FBI while he goes to rescue those still alive in The Devil’s PunchBowl and the antagonist returns, a fight ensues. The protagonist is victorious.

• This reply was modified 9 months ago by  Demethress Davis.
• This reply was modified 9 months ago by  Demethress Davis.

[Demethress Davis]

Deme’s Genre Conventions
Is it me or does everyone have to keep added spaces between the sections even after entering many spaces between the sections?

MY VISION: I am a EGOT writer who is very successful and revered by the industry for writing amazing stories that will live on in history.

What I learned from doing this assignment is I am forever grateful to ScreenwritingU's fantastic teaching. Your teaching has evolved and has always been innovative, fresh and eye opening. I am excited about this course and so looking forward to becoming a better writer who is not afraid to be successful.

Title: The Devil’s PunchBowl
Concept: A Black man passing as White in a small Southern town secretly run by a White supremacist who plays a cat and mouse game which will expose his true identity. When he discovers she is hiding her own Black heritage, exposing her secret risks exposing his own.
Genre: Psychological Thriller

Examples of a Thriller:
PURPOSE: To show how the protagonist struggles to keep his true identity a secret and expose the antagonist true identity.

LIFE AND DEATH SITUATIONS: Protagonist is set up to fail when he goes into the attic to do repairs and falls through ceiling. An eye is taken but he only broke an arm. He investigates the sound of cries for help and almost gets killed. He is tortured but escapes

MYSTERY/INTRIGUE/SUSPENSE:

HERO: Starts out weak, guilt-ridden, lacking self-esteem, fearful of being discovered. Ends owning his heritage, feeling unafraid, courageous, embolden he faces the antagonist head on in a fight to the death.

VILLIAN: Starts off vicious, cunning, secretive and unaware ends up surprised, shaken, crushed and in denial of her true heritage. She is Black.

MAIN EMOTIONS: Fear, guilt, suspense, intrigue mystery, tension, uncertainty, surprise, anticipation.

Act 1:
* Opening: Black Accountant enjoys family life with his wife and son. On the birthday of his son (7 yrs) he mixes cocaine and alcohol and gets into a car accident. Wife dies and son is in a coma. He loses his job; is shamed by his father; leaves NY and arrives in a small Southern town. Homeless, he passes as White and is taken in by a Good Samaritan.

* Inciting Incident: Protagonist helps around the Antagonist house, hears cries in the night and when he investigates, discovers a pit where someone is being tossed into by people in White hoods and robs. He thinks he hears the voice of the Antagonist, he makes noise and gets away in time not to be found.

* Turning Point: The Antagonist probes him about his family and gets closer to exposing his true identity as a Black man. He tries his best to evade the questions and is somewhat successful art hiding his identity…so he thinks. He witnesses the death of a Black man and believes it was the Antagonist who ordered it.

Act 2:
* New plan: Protagonist must find a way to expose to the outside world that the Antagonist is on a killing spree but every attempt fails and little by little the Antagonist gets closer and closer to exposing his real identity. He confides in a neighbor; tells his story of how his father hates him and thinks he’s a waste. He enlists the help of the neighbor to expose the Antagonist as a White supremacist.

* Plan in action: While working in the attic, the Protagonist discovers the birth certificate of the Antagonist: Her mother is Black. The neighbor is a White Supremacist loyal to the Antagonist. Neighbor is fearful of the Antagonist.

* Midpoint Turning Point: The Protagonist falls through the floor of the attic and looses an eye; when he realizes his eye was removed as a means of making him be loyal to the Antagonist; he tells the Antagonist he knows she her secret. Antagonist plots to kill Protagonist in a horrible way.

Act 3:
* Rethink everything: After losing his eye, the Protagonist finds the courage to confront the Antagonist about her true heritage, which is a surprise to her!

* New plan: Now tables are turned and the Protagonist has the upper hand over the Antagonist.

* Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift: The Protagonist is kidnapped and tortured by followers of the White Supremacist Antagonist. He confronts them with the fact of the Antagonist’s birth heritage.

Act 4:
* Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict: The Protagonist returns to The Devil’s PunchBowl, the pit he first heard the cries of someone at the start of the movie. He sets out to save those who are buried alive and is confronted by the Antagonist. A fight ensues; he is aided by the neighbor who has newfound courage and he is victorious.

* Resolution: The Protagonist returns to NYC; reconciles with his father; has regain his self-esteem, love of self and courage; his son is out of the coma and he embraces his blackness; brings his son’s favorite Action Figure: the Black Panther.

The Chatpbt Prompt :
Memory updated
To enhance your psychological thriller and align it with genre conventions, I'll weave in the essential thriller elements—such as escalating tension, suspense, deception, and character-driven fear—while fine-tuning the structure. This will strengthen the cat-and-mouse dynamics and provide deeper psychological stakes. Let’s break it down.

ACT 1:
Opening:
* Start with an idyllic family scene to set up the protagonist’s fall from grace. The protagonist (Black accountant, passing as white) is devoted to his family. A birthday celebration for his son (7 years old) shows his role as a caring father, contrasting sharply with what happens next.
* His cocaine and alcohol binge builds tension. Intercut moments of reckless driving and blurred vision before the crash to heighten suspense. When his wife dies and his son slips into a coma, make the sequence disorienting and tragic.
* He leaves New York, broken and guilt-ridden, haunted by flashbacks of the accident. Arriving in the Southern town, his isolation begins to feel ominous. He hides his Black identity out of shame and fear, keeping his internal conflict present in his actions.
* Enter the "Good Samaritan" (the antagonist), whose kindness feels almost too good to be true. Build an atmosphere of dread in the town, with people staring, whispered racism, and veiled hostility toward outsiders, making the audience uneasy.

Inciting Incident:
* The protagonist becomes suspicious of the town's hidden darkness. At night, hearing screams and seeing a ritual involving people in white hoods, he witnesses a body thrown into a pit. The eerie, shadowy visuals, along with disjointed sound design (whispers, chants), should evoke a sense of horror.
* He recognizes the voice of the Good Samaritan among the figures, but when he makes a noise, the pursuit begins. The tension builds with a narrow escape, leaving him terrified but unsure if anyone saw him.

Turning Point:
* As the antagonist subtly probes him about his past, the psychological tension ramps up. She pretends to be friendly, but her questions feel invasive, as if she knows more than she lets on.
* He starts to feel suffocated by the walls closing in. Witnessing the murder of a Black man—perhaps in a ritualistic killing—makes him realize that she could be responsible for the town’s systematic violence. The scene should be stark and brutal, pulling the audience into his growing paranoia and fear.

ACT 2:
New Plan:
* He begins covertly investigating the town's secrets, trying to expose the antagonist's involvement in the murders. However, every time he attempts to contact the outside world, he's blocked or watched. The growing isolation mirrors his increasing desperation.
* He confides in a neighbor, hoping for an ally. But the neighbor's initial sympathy masks underlying fear of the antagonist, creating unease about whom the protagonist can trust.
* As he shares his family history and how his father shamed him for his failures, the themes of identity and self-worth deepen. The neighbor seems understanding but subtly questions his racial identity, planting more seeds of suspicion.

Plan in Action:
* Discovering the birth certificate is a pivotal moment. As he realizes the antagonist is of mixed race, the psychological horror deepens. The truth that she is hiding her own Black heritage becomes a dangerous secret, one that connects them both yet increases the stakes for exposing her.
* The neighbor reveals their loyalty to the antagonist, intensifying the protagonist’s sense of betrayal. The tension escalates as the protagonist realizes that everyone is watching, waiting for him to slip up.

Midpoint Turning Point:
* The attic scene, where the protagonist falls through the floor, becomes a moment of physical and emotional breaking. Losing his eye is symbolic—he is literally and metaphorically scarred by his discoveries. The pain and mutilation are a way to control him, a tactic from the antagonist to assert her power over him.
* When he confronts the antagonist about her heritage, the revelation is explosive, but she reacts with cold calculation. She manipulates him by implying that if he exposes her, he’ll also expose himself, creating a chilling, psychological deadlock.

ACT 3:
Rethink Everything:
* With the upper hand gained through his knowledge of the antagonist’s heritage, the protagonist must re-evaluate his approach. The audience should feel the weight of this dangerous game, where the antagonist holds all the physical power, but he now holds the key to her undoing.
* The psychological tension ramps up as he realizes she will kill him unless he strikes first. This act is about the mental chess game, where one false move can lead to death.

New Plan:
* The protagonist decides to weaponize the truth, using the birth certificate and the town’s history to pit the antagonist against her own followers. But before he can act, he is captured, leading to a harrowing scene of torture.
* The torture scene is both physical and psychological—her followers demean him, taunting him about his identity, making him question his choices. He tries to stay strong, but the relentless questioning, threats, and beatings push him to the brink.

Turning Point (Major Shift):
* In his darkest moment, when it seems like he will break, the protagonist reveals the antagonist’s true heritage to the cult-like followers. The shock ripples through them, creating division, confusion, and anger.
* The psychological horror shifts as the antagonist's control begins to unravel. Now, she is no longer seen as untouchable, and the cracks in her façade become visible.

ACT 4:
Climax:
* Returning to the Devil’s PunchBowl, the pit symbolizes all the horrors the town has buried—both literally and figuratively. The fight here is brutal, visceral, and desperate. The protagonist, half-blinded and injured, fights for survival while trying to free those still trapped in the pit.
* The neighbor’s turn to help the protagonist is a pivotal moment of redemption. The protagonist's journey to reclaim his self-worth is mirrored in the neighbor’s courage to defy the antagonist.

Resolution:
* Back in New York, the protagonist’s reconciliation with his father and the emotional reunion with his son, now out of the coma, bring the film full circle. He accepts his Blackness, no longer hiding behind the false identity that shielded him from shame.
* The final image of him giving his son a Black Panther action figure symbolizes his embrace of his heritage and his restored self-esteem.

By focusing on psychological tension, identity conflict, and the cat-and-mouse dynamic, this structure taps into the core conventions of a psychological thriller. The stakes are personal, tied to both survival and the protagonist's internal battle with his racial identity. The antagonist, with her hidden heritage, becomes a mirror of his struggles, elevating the psychological complexity of the story.

• This reply was modified 9 months, 1 week ago by  Demethress Davis.

[Demethress Davis]

Deme’s 4 Act Transformational Structure

MY VISION: I am a EGOT writer who is very successful and revered by the industry for writing amazing stories that will live on in history.

What I learned from doing this assignment is the old ways were trying to creep back in but the new ways of not getting bogged down with the details overcame and I felt good about doing this assignment. I feel empowered to create a great story structure as we move forward in this process.

* Concept:
* A Black man passing as White in a small Southern town secretly run by a White supremacist who plays a cat and mouse game which will expose his true identity. When he discovers she is hiding her own Black heritage, exposing her secret risks exposing his own.

* Main Conflict:
Protagonist, a Black man passing as White must expose the Black heritage of the Antagonist who is a White Supremacist without exposing his true identity.

* Old Ways:
* Self-doubt
* Evasive
* Not identifying as a Black man
* Self-loathing
* Shame
* Feeling Guilty

* New Ways:
* Unafraid
* Embracing his Blackness
* Exposing the heritage of a White Supremacist
* Believing he is worthy and able to accomplish anything he puts his mind to.
* Forgiving himself
* Courageous

Act 1:
* Opening: Black Accountant enjoys family life with his wife and son. On the birthday of his son (7 yrs) he mixes cocaine and alcohol and gets into a car accident. Wife dies and son is in a coma. He loses his job; is shamed by his father; leaves NY and arrives in a small Southern town. Homeless, he passes as White and is taken in by a Good Samaritan.

* Inciting Incident: Protagonist helps around the Antagonist house, hears cries in the night and when he investigates, discovers a pit where someone is being tossed into by people in White hoods and robs. He thinks he hears the voice of the Antagonist, he makes noise and gets away in time not to be found.

* Turning Point: The Antagonist probes him about his family and gets closer to exposing his true identity .as a Black man. He witnesses the death of a Black man at the hand of the Antagonist

Act 2:
* New plan: Protagonist must find a way to expose to the outside world that the Antagonist is on a killing spree but every attempt fails and little by little the Antagonist gets closer and closer to exposing his real identity.

* Plan in action:While working in the attic, the Protagonist discovers the birth certificate of the Antagonist: Her mother is Black.

* Midpoint Turning Point: The Protagonist falls through the floor of the attic and looses an eye; when he realizes his eye was removed as a means of making him be loyal to the Antagonist; he tells the Antagonist he knows she is a Black woman.

Act 3:
* Rethink everything: After losing his eye, the Protagonist finds the courage to confront the Antagonist about her true heritage, which is a surprise to her!

* New plan: Now tables are turned and the Protagonist has the upper hand over the Antagonist.

* Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift: The Protagonist is kidnapped and tortured by followers of the White Supremacist Antagonist. He confronts them with the fact of the Antagonist’s birth heritage.

Act 4:
* Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict: The Protagonist returns to The Devil’s PunchBowl, the pit he first heard the cries of someone at the start of the movie. He sets out to save those who are buried alive and is confronted by the Antagonist. A fight ensues and he is victorious.

* Resolution: The Protagonist returns to NYC; reconciles with his father; has regain his self-esteem, love of self and courage; his son is out of the coma and he embraces his blackness; brings his son’s favorite Action Figure: the Black Panther.

Chatpbt:Was not sure if this is what we are suppose to submit as well; but just in case.

Old Ways:
Act 1 – Opening / Inciting Incident / Turning Point

Opening: Marcus Evans, a Black man passing as White, is taken in by Evelyn, a well-intentioned-seeming woman in a small Southern town. Marcus is still steeped in self-loathing, guilt, and shame after the tragic death of his wife and the resulting downward spiral of his life. He has long since buried his Blackness as a means of survival.

Inciting Incident: Marcus uncovers strange hints about Evelyn’s involvement with a white supremacist group, discovering her connections to violence against Black people in the area. He realizes that his own racial identity could put him at risk.

Turning Point: After finding irrefutable proof of Evelyn’s sinister agenda, Marcus faces a decision: continue hiding or confront the growing danger. Despite knowing the stakes, he clings to his old ways of avoidance and self-doubt.

Act 2 – New Plan / Plan in Action / Midpoint Turning Point

New Plan: Marcus chooses to play along, pretending to be unaware of Evelyn’s true nature while seeking more information. He is still evasive, trying to protect himself without directly confronting either Evelyn or his own identity. He believes that staying in the shadows is his best chance at survival.

Plan in Action: As Marcus becomes more involved with Evelyn’s inner circle, he witnesses the group’s horrifying plans. His guilt over passing as White deepens as he watches them plan attacks on Black residents, but he’s still too afraid to act.

Midpoint Turning Point: The game changes when Marcus discovers Evelyn’s secret: she herself is of Black heritage. She’s spent her life passing as White, just as Marcus has, but has chosen to lead a white supremacist group to maintain her power. This revelation shakes Marcus to his core. He now understands the deeper game at play, but the fear of exposing himself still holds him back.

Act 3 – Rethink Everything / New Plan / Turning Point: Huge Failure / Major Shift

Rethink Everything: Evelyn’s hidden Blackness forces Marcus to confront his own shame and fear. He realizes that hiding has only perpetuated his pain and suffering. The fact that Evelyn can wield such power while concealing her heritage sparks both anger and reflection within him—he begins to question why he’s allowed his own heritage to be a source of weakness rather than strength.

New Plan: Marcus decides to expose Evelyn’s true heritage, believing that revealing her hypocrisy will bring her down and stop the group’s violent plans. He is no longer just trying to save himself—he wants to strike at the heart of the system that is oppressing him and others like him.

Turning Point (Huge Failure / Major Shift): His plan to expose Evelyn’s heritage backfires when she discovers his attempt and turns her full attention on him. She uses her influence to discredit him, pushing him to the brink. Marcus is captured and now faces death, fully exposed as both a fraud and a Black man passing in a world that won’t accept him. This is his lowest point—his worst fear realized.

New Ways:
Act 4 – Climax / Ultimate Expression of the Conflict / Resolution

Climax (Ultimate Expression of the Conflict): With nothing left to lose, Marcus fully embraces his Blackness. No longer afraid or ashamed, he uses his knowledge of Evelyn’s heritage to force her hand in a final confrontation. His newfound courage and belief in his own worth allow him to turn the tables. He exposes her hypocrisy in front of her followers, revealing that the very leader they look up to is of the race they claim to hate. The clash becomes both a literal and symbolic battle of identity.

Resolution: Marcus’s courage in exposing both himself and Evelyn dismantles the group from within. He has forgiven himself for his past mistakes, released the guilt he’s carried for so long, and now fully embraces who he is. Free from fear, Marcus emerges victorious, knowing he is worthy and capable of achieving anything he puts his mind to. He leaves the town not as a man hiding from his past but as someone who has reclaimed his identity and his power.

In this 4-act structure, Marcus’s journey from self-doubt and evasion to courage and self-acceptance mirrors the external conflict with Evelyn. The transformation he undergoes—marked by embracing his Blackness, believing in his own worth, and exposing the hidden truth—aligns perfectly with the psychological thriller's tension, offering a deeply personal and emotionally charged conclusion.

• This reply was modified 9 months, 1 week ago by  Demethress Davis.

[Demethress Davis]

Deme’s Subtext Plot
(I'm using my nickname from now on…)

MY VISION: I am a EGOT writer who is very successful and revered by the industry for writing amazing stories that will live on in history.

What I learned from doing this assignment is this was challenging but also fun. AI came up with some good suggestions and I will certainly revisit the ones I highlighted in my notes when we really start getting into the writing of the script. I am happy that this is still giving me joy and not feeling like OMG this is overwhelming. It is not.

My Subtext Plots:
1. Scheme and Investigation
2. Layering
3. Superior Position

Using #1 Subtext Plot: The Protagonist is hiding his true Black identity from a White Supremacists who plays a cat and mouse game with every question or action she poses to him and he must constantly evade giving any answer or reaction that will lead her to suspect he is not who he purports to be.
However, once the Protagonist discovers that the White Supremacist is also hiding her Black heritage he turns the table and she now becomes the mouse and he the cat who threatens to reveal her to the others and crush her authority in the group.

Combining #2 Subtext Plot: The Protagonist works hard to hide his Blackness while unbeknownst to him, the “Good Samaritan” White Supremacist is also Black. Once this layer is uncovered; it is a surprise to the White Supremacist who now must fight to keep it a secret from the Klan she is Chief of.

AND/OR
Cobining #3 Subtext Plot: The Antagonist knows from the start that the Protagonist is a Black man passing as White but she keeps his secret in order to use it against him later. She wants him under her thumb doing whatever bidding she asks of him, knowing he will not expose himself. However, once the Protagonist discovers that the Antagonist is Black, he sets traps for her that will expose her true identity but also risks exposing his, the struggle they both try to maintain keeping their true identities secret will eventually be one of their downfalls.

• This reply was modified 9 months, 2 weeks ago by  Demethress Davis.

[Demethress Davis]

Demethress’ Transformational Journey

MY VISION: I am a EGOT writer who is very successful and revered by the industry for writing amazing stories that will live on in history.

What I learned from doing this assignment is again doing the empowering exercise gives me more confidence to apply my creativity to my writing. Doing this exercise I felt unencumbered and found it interesting that AI presented me with some of the same ideas I had written down. Love this!

Arc Beginning: Character starts out broken, dejected, weak and low self-esteem, shameful, hiding his true Black heritage, isolated.

Arc Ending: Character ends up strong-willed, confident, purposeful, unafraid, bold and embracing his true identity.

Internal Journey: From feeling unworthy, guilty and helpless to strong and able.

External Journey: From losing a good job as top accountant, not loving who he is and choosing to be homeless to acknowledging his true self , confronting his fears accepting his true identity and exposing the true heritage of a White Supremacist.

Old Ways:
* Self-doubt
* Evasive
* Not identifying as a Black man
* Self-loathing
* Shame
* Feeling Guilty

New Ways:
* Unafraid
* Embracing his Blackness
* Exposing the heritage of a White Supremacist
* Believing he is worthy and able to accomplish anything he puts his mind to.
* Forgiving himself
* Courageous

• This reply was modified 9 months, 2 weeks ago by  Demethress Davis.

[Demethress Davis]

Demethress’ Intentional Lead Characters

MY VISION: I am a EGOT writer who is very successful and revered by the industry for writing amazing stories that will live on in history.

What I learned from doing this assignment is it didn’t take me but a minute to write each sentence for my characters. It was like they were telling me what to say. I really didn’t have to think much about it.

LOGLINES: “What makes this character fit my concept and title powerfully?”

Protagonist: A Black man struggles with his guilt around the death of his wife hides his identity by posing as a White man.

Antagonist: A White Supremacist hides her true heritage of being a Black woman.

Triangle Character: A white supremacist caught between wanting to reform and afraid of the consequence if she does.

3. Tell us what makes each of these characters unique:
* Character: Protagonist
* Logline: A Black man struggles with his guilt around the death of his wife hides his identity by posing as a White man.
* Unique: A Black man posing as White.

* Character: Antagonist
* Logline: A White Supremacist hides her true heritage of being a Black woman.
* Unique: A White supremacist discovers her Black heritage and fights to keep it a secret.

* Character: Triangle Character
* Logline: A white supremacist caught between wanting to reform and afraid of the consequence if she does.
* Unique: Fear of being killed if she goes against her White Supremacist leader.

• This reply was modified 9 months, 2 weeks ago by  Demethress Davis.
• This reply was modified 9 months, 2 weeks ago by  Demethress Davis.

[Demethress Davis]

Demethress’ Title, Concept, and Character Structure

MY VISION: I am a EGOT writer who is very successful and revered by the industry for writing amazing stories that will live on in history.

What I learned from doing this assignment is things really do work out when you begin with the empowerment exercise. I find I am even more energized and inspired to do work without beating myself up about it being “the best” in that moment.

Title: The Devil"s PunchBowl

High Concept: A Black man passing as White in a small Southern town secretly run by a White supremacist who plays a cat and mouse game which will expose his true identity. When he discovers she is hiding her own Black heritage, exposing her secret risks exposing his own.

Character Structure:
Protagonist vs Antagonist

• This reply was modified 9 months, 2 weeks ago by  Demethress Davis.

[Demethress Davis]

I found it! And I see you have as well…
Deme

[Demethress Davis]

1. DEMETHRESS DAVE
2. How many scripts you’ve written? THREE AND ONE TV SCRIPT
3. What you hope to get out of the class? Learn how to use AI to enhance my creativity and write scripts producers will keep asking me to write.
4. Something unique, special, strange or unusual about you? In May, my 90 year old mother was diagnosed with cancer and I moved back home to take care of her and walk through the journey of chemo/radiation treatment. Truly, it changed my life. My mom raised me and may sister as a single mom, a nurse who moved from the operating room to the class room teaching nursing. She is a strong woman and to see her in this weak stage of her life, took me on a personal journey of finding my own strength and new-found compassion to remain focused and fight the frustration and confusion that wanted to overtake me. Mom is on the road to recovery and so am I.

[Demethress Davis]

Demethress Davis
I agree to the terms of this release form.

GROUP RELEASE FORM
As a member of this group, I agree to the following terms:

1. That I will keep the processes, strategies, teleconferences, communications, lessons, and models of the class confidential, and that I will NOT share any of this program either privately, with a group, posting online, writing articles, through video or computer programming, or in any other way that would make those processes, teleconferences, communications, lessons, and models of the class available to anyone who is not a member of this class.
2. That each writer’s work here is copyrighted and that writer is the sole owner of that work. That includes this program which is copyrighted by Hal Croasmun. I acknowledge that submission of an idea to this group constitutes a claim of and the recognition of ownership of that idea.
I will keep the other writer’s ideas and writing confidential and will not share this information with anyone without the express written permission of the writer/owner. I will not market or even discuss this information with anyone outside this group.
3. I also understand that many stories and ideas are similar and/or have common themes and from time to time, two or more people can independently and simultaneously generate the same concept or movie idea.
4. If I have an idea that is the same as or very similar to another group member’s idea, I’ll immediately contact Hal and present proof that I had this idea prior to the beginning of the class. If Hal deems them to be the same idea or close enough to cause harm to either party, he’ll request both parties to present another concept for the class.
5. If you don’t present proof to Hal that you have the same idea as another person, you agree that all ideas presented to this group are the sole ownership of the person who presented them and you will not write or market another group member’s ideas.
6. Finally, I agree not to bring suit against anyone in this group for any reason, unless they use a substantial portion of my copyrighted work in a manner that is public and/or that prevents me from marketing my script by shopping it to production companies, agents, managers, actors, networks, studios or any other entertainment industry organizations or people.

• This reply was modified 10 months ago by  Demethress Davis.
• This reply was modified 10 months ago by  Demethress Davis.
• This reply was modified 10 months ago by  Demethress Davis.

[Demethress Davis]

hi Matt,
Kudos on selling your first script and welcome to party!
Deme

[Demethress Davis]

Hi Frank…LMAO YES, I am having the same problem. I put in a request to the customer service and still waiting for a reply. So until I get one I will just hold off on submitting and keep doing the lessons.

Question for you now… I am on Module 2 Lesson 11 but unsure if that is where we are supposed to be..The recordings are clearly done a while ago so no real participation there so I am a bit confused as to exactly where I should be in the lessons.
I asked that question of the customer service as well….
if you hear anything please let me know LOL and vise versa.

Until then,
take care and happy writing
Deme (Only one M please -hee hee)

[Demethress Davis]

Hi Frank,

Glad to have someone in my age range…I’m thinking you are in your 60’s or am I presuming too much? Forgive me if I am.
I’m a native NYer and have been with Hal and Cheryl for many years. I look forward to sharing and learning new skills and becoming a very successful writer. Here’s too nothing ventured, nothing gained and age ain’t nuthin’ but a number!

Thank you for your service, Frank.

All the Best,
Deme